Tokyo Electron‘s patent involves an etching method using plasma processing apparatus. Plasma from a fluorocarbon gas is used to form a deposit on a substrate with silicon and metal regions. A rare gas plasma is then used to etch the silicon region, with a specific magnetic field distribution created for efficient etching. GlobalData’s report on Tokyo Electron gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Tokyo Electron, 3D memory devices was a key innovation area identified from patents. Tokyo Electron's grant share as of May 2024 was 56%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Etching method using plasma with fluorocarbon and rare gas
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US12014930B2) discloses an innovative etching method conducted in a plasma processing apparatus. The method involves forming plasma from a processing gas containing a fluorocarbon gas to create a deposit on a substrate with distinct regions of silicon and metal materials. Subsequently, plasma is generated from a rare gas to etch the silicon-containing region by reacting the fluorocarbon deposit with the silicon material. Notably, the method does not involve the formation of a magnetic field during plasma generation from the processing gas, but utilizes an electromagnet to create a specific magnetic field distribution during plasma generation from the rare gas.
The patent further details the specific materials involved in the process, with the silicon-containing material identified as SiO2, SiOC, or SiOCH, and the metal-containing material encompassing various metals such as titanium, tungsten, zirconium, aluminum, tantalum, cobalt, or ruthenium, along with corresponding oxides, nitrides, or carbides. Additionally, the fluorocarbon gas utilized in the process includes C4F8 gas and/or C4F6 gas. The method also highlights the alternating repetition of plasma generation from the processing gas and the rare gas to achieve the desired etching results effectively. This patented etching method showcases a novel approach to substrate processing within a plasma processing apparatus, offering potential advancements in the field of semiconductor manufacturing and material etching technologies.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
